Change is good?

So after securing the final pre-surgery appointment with the hospital and submitting all of the necessary requests off for time for all of the appointments and finally completing all of the complicated state paper work for time off, the surgeon’s office called and said that one of the doctors on the team wasn’t available now for June 14^th and my surgery would have to be moved to July 12^th. The scheduler said “you must be super woman because everyone insists that they must be present for your surgery.”   I can’t say that I was too happy initially because I had put so much work into getting everything done on time and now I was going to have to reschedule everything and do all of the paper work again.  I took a deep breath and reminded myself to go with the flow and I feel much better about it now.

PROs of changing to July 12^th

-          I get to go to the Phillies Fireworks game

-          I get to enjoy June’s Philly Night Market

-          I can spend the month of June playing in my garden instead of resting on the sofa

Cons of changing to July 12^th

-          I now have to get one additional shot and be on Lupron for an additional month because my current dose will wear off at the end of June and I need to be flare free prior to surgery.

-          I can’t get out of Jury Duty.  My jury date was June 20^th and originally I would have been recovering from surgery.

     -      Just last week my job had worked out the somewhat complex issue of covering my position.  They interviewed and hired a graduate student to do a summer internship so I would have had two weeks to train them.  They would have filled in for me while I was out and I would have come back before they went back to school.  Now with the dates thrown thrown off they may have to make adjustments for how my job will be covered and they will have to figure out exactly what the student will do now for a month and a half if I’m still hanging around (this was the thing I was the most upset about because I don’t like to inconvenience other people).



It didn’t take me as long as I thought to reschedule all of the various pre-surgery appointments and everyone was very nice (I guess this happens a lot).  So now I have to be very patient and wait one extra month before getting my endometriosis excised.

Taking Back The V

There is a patch of dirt in our front yard that we refer to as “the V”, due to its shape.  For years it has served as a dumping ground for leaves from my nemesis, the holly tree.  This year ignited by the fuel of Urban Homesteading I was determined to take back the V and transform it into a useful space.  My husband, who is enjoying my new homesteading passion and hopes that it “isn’t just a phase”, was kind enough to offer his assistance as the ground was filled with roots that needed to be pulled up and at times clipped. 
Pulling up the roots helped to churn up the earth and after a few hours I had a suitable planting bed. 

 I planted four Calendula plants.  They have vibrant orange flowers that can be harvested and dried.  Once dried they can be used for tea or more often they are used to make oil that you can then utilize to make skin care products. They are also supposed to act as a natural pest repellant.  I added a bee balm plant so I can use the leaves for tea (it is supposed to make a lovely cup of Earl Grey and perhaps the plant might attract Jean Luc Picard to my house).  Finally I planted some lettuce and swiss chard seeds and crossed my fingers that maybe they might grow (I have had absolutely no luck with seeds of any kind in any area of our yard, ground or container).  A layer of licorice root mulch tucked everything in nice and cozy and transformed the V into a respectable growing area. 

Distraction Fun

Garden Knees

I do believe that it is always important to continue to work on improving patience and to practice just being;

I also think that there is nothing wrong with keeping busy and distracted.  I think this is helpful to those who have to encounter me everyday especially my husband and perhaps also our contractor.  We are in a sort of limbo holding period while we work on our renovations and while I work on having surgery and healing.  What I really want is to have all of my adoption paper work done yesterday, be matched and have my travel date; but I am going to be patient and know that everything needs to happen in His time.

   Again however to keep my sanity and to save the sanity of everyone else I decided that I needed to work on a project.  I do love writing, especially children’s and young adult fiction and I currently have one finished novel that desperately needs editing and another novel that is yet to be finished, but I think I need a project that involves my hands more than my head (though I am looking forward to being a full Nanowrimoer in November).

   In tenth grade I took “home economics” which ended up being sewing class because that is all we did.  I was horrible at sewing.  It took me the entire year to complete one project.  While everyone else moved on to making skirts and other useful things I continued to struggle to get the stitching on my doll’s dress correct.  Her poor arms and legs ended up being embarrassingly uneven.  It is funny how at a young age one failure can be used to blanket many things.  I decided at sixteen that if I couldn’t sew I was doomed as a homemaker. 

     Recently I’ve fallen in love with several homemaking/homesteading blogs.  I love the idea of jumping in and getting dirty; growing and making things myself.  A few podcasts and websites later and I wanted so badly to learn how to be an urban homesteader (since we live in a small townhouse actual homesteading isn’t in the cards just yet).  Thanks to Pinterest I’ve already started several boards pinning all sorts of homesteading and other homemaking ideas and I’ve decided to tackle some of the projects in no particular order.

Edible front garden bed with rosemary, lavender, mint, lemon thyme and some catnip for our kitty.

I’ve already planted lots of herbs and I’ve prepped everything in anticipation of planting vegetables.  I’ve purchased some yarn and knitting needles so I can learn how to knit and I have a book called “Sewing School” which is meant for small children, but since that seems to be my current sewing level I felt it was an appropriate place to begin.  I’m pretty sure I have enough projects to last me the next few years.

Interesting and informative book I stated reading.

Recommended for kids or those of us who are way behind on our sewing skills

                                        

I can build that!

I’m sure many wives know that uneasy feeling when their husband announces

     “I can build that…actually, I could build one that is even better!”  That is the situation that I found myself in on Saturday while examining a garden shelf at IKEA.

Me: When will you build it?

Husband: Tomorrow.

Me: Tomorrow, really?

Husband: Yes…well that’s if I can get all the supplies I need to build it…

Me: So probably not tomorrow?

Husband: I don’t know we’ll have to see.

Me: Sigh

I’m sorry I ever doubted him because my husband built a lovely and sturdy garden herb shelf all in one day.  Impressive still, is that nothing is attached to the actual fence because the fence isn’t ours so we can’t drill holes into it.  Instead he placed supports behind the fence and used those to hold the main beam and brackets into place.  I also have a few other places in the yard where my herbs can bloom.  

I'm aware that the Basil looks pathetic but I think it can make a comeback.

For cooking purposes I’m growing

Oregano

Basil

Parsley

Cilantro

Chives

Rosemary

I’m growing other herbs with the hopes of drying them and using them for tea.  Those herbs will be

Mint

Lavender

Lemon Balm

Chamomile (I've found that a cup of chamomile tea is helpful when my intestine is unhappy)

Last year we had so much rain we didn’t end up with much of anything (also the herbs were previously located on our wasp infested balcony so once I started seeing the wasps I abandoned the herbs completely for fear of a vicious attack) so I’m hopeful that this year will yield just what I need and maybe a little bit to share.

*Note to husbands – A very good way to get your wife to enjoy a trip to Home Depot is to take her out to the home made ice cream place across the street when you are done.  At least it worked for me.

Writing Excuses Love?

I have a love- hate relationship with the podcast Writing Excuses.  I love that their topics and discussions are always interesting and often I find myself adding books recommended by the hosts/authors to my books to read list.  I hate that they give, what seems to me anyway, an overwhelming list of “to don’ts” with regards to writing.  It feels so vast that by the end of an episode I’m ready to tie a white flag to the end of my pen and wave it in the surrender of all hope that I will ever be an even mediocre writer.  Their latest episode giving writing “advice” left me smiling and I listened to it a second time just to partake in one more good laugh.  I thought I would share some of their brilliant pieces of “advice”.

-          Spend at least 40 years world building before you start your novel.

-          During those 40 years be sure to spend a lot of time watching TV shows and YouTube videos (for research of course)

-          Grow a beard because that seems to make you a better writer (Bearded women have proved to be excellent short story writers).

-          Do something different-write a novel that uses no pronouns or plurals.

-          Do something that stands out-make up your own alphabet and then use it to write your entire novel.

-          Re-write your first page at least 50 times.

-          When re-writing your first page, be sure to swap out all of your ordinary words with fancy words from your Thesaurus. 

And my personal favorite

-          Be sure to take time to vacuum your cat or else all that hair could clog up your keyboard.

Sadly this is not a picture of my cat.  My cat is extremely afraid of "Mr. Dyson."

If you are a writer or even an avid reader the podcast is worth checking out (It mainly deals with the Sci-Fi and Fantasy genres).  If you are a writer just keep in mind that no good writer ever thinks their own writing is good, or at least that is what I tell myself when I listen to the podcast to make myself feel better.

A Case of the Envies

Every so often when I’m out and about for work I like to treat myself to a really nice lunch. This week there was such a day and I indulged in some fare from The British Fish and Chips eatery in Haddonfield. 

While I was there a mother about my age came in with her three little boys.  The oldest looked to be about nine, then there was Charlie who was about two and a baby boy who was old enough to sit up on his own but not old enough to walk or crawl.  The later two boys had heads full of fluffy blonde curls (the nine year old had very short hair and I imagined he was blessed with the same curly mop, but being nine he felt himself too old and mature for curls).  As I watched this mother get everyone situated at a table I felt a pang of envy rise up into my chest.

How nice is must be to have three such wonderful little boys. Sigh. I wonder if I will EVER have a little boy of my own to take to lunch. 

I continued to steal wistful glances at them in between reading paragraphs from the book I had and taking bites of my creamy cheesy Welsh Rarebit. 

About twenty minutes into the excursion that I’m sure the mother thought would be quite interesting and fun for the boys, the young little gentlemen became restless.  Charlie no longer wanted any parts of sitting still in a seat and decided to use his stroller as a jungle gym.  The baby thought it great fun to test out his vocal capacity and the oldest became sullen and annoyed with the antics of his younger siblings.  The exasperated mother rushed through eating and finally decided that it was best to pack everyone up and leave.  A few times I saw her throw a wistful glance in my direction and I could only imagine she was thinking…

How nice it must be to sit at a table all by yourself with no distraction or interruptions savoring lunch and enjoying a book.

I chuckled to myself and decided to change my attitude. I was determined to be completely and absolutely grateful right in the moment that I was in, because yes it was nice to be enjoying a quiet yummy lunch while reading an interesting book.  And who knows someday I may be the one trying to wrestle a wiggly uncooperative toddler into his stroller reminiscing about the days when I enjoyed quiet peaceful lunches. Likewise that mother may be having a peaceful lunch by herself reminiscing about the days when she had three lovely little boys who wanted nothing more than all of her love and attention.

In which I propose that there be a Max Brenner's at the Hospital

Yummy hot chocolate from Max Brenner's that I really wouldn't be able to enjoy post surgery but it's nice to have a dream.

I finally got my call today regarding when my surgery will be.  As someone who thrives on schedules and plans I was anxiously (though patiently) waiting for this call.  The surgery will take place on June 14^th (very happy I won’t miss the church picnic).  I’m excited because it will be at the fancy new Virtua Hospital in Voorhees and since there is a possibility that I may have to stay for a few days post surgery it would be nice to have a natural light filled private room (or so the website promises)

Fancy Hospital Room

I pass by the behemoth of a building at least once a week and I’ve been curious as to what the insides looked like; it’s kind of like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory but not quite as fun or cool because after all it is a hospital. Maybe they should send you home with a bag of candy or even better maybe they should put a Max Brenner’s in the hospital. That would make the experience even better! Hopefully my curiosity will sustain and offer a smidgen of distraction from the reality of having to have people jab around at my innards and take out the rotten bits and pieces.

Big Fancy Hospital

    

Chocolate Factory.  Okay maybe they aren't really alike

I’ve had to juggle (jugglers at the hospital would be fun too, but not clowns. NEVER clowns) scheduling various appointments.  I need an ultrasound one week prior to the surgery, a dexascan a week before the ultrasound because I may not be able to lie that still after the surgery and the dexascan needs to be completed before my next rheumatology appointment which is two weeks after my surgery.  I already scheduled my post ultrasound/ pre-let’s talk about the surgery appointment with the surgeon.  I’ll also have to schedule all the pre-surgery paper work and have labs done at the hospital.  Whew, that’s a lot but so far it is going smoothly.  I like having things that I have to do while I’m waiting because I can focus more on my to- do list and I ruminate less on the scary taking a nap while people poke holes in my belly button part. 

Juggling Dr. Mario- Yes
Clown Doctor-NO